The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-05-29
MEN IN THEIR BONES.
WHERE THOSE THAT HANG IN
DOCTORS, CLOSETS CONE FROM
An Industry without America"
hold Thirty Dollar Skeletons VI
p.,,e, Inferior QusIity-A zine So''
A,tIcuIa,.d with Silver fi"'ea wiz

hold - Thirty Dollar Sh''o''"'
Rather Inferior Quality-A zine 'o''
-, 18th silver Plated Wire.
The doctor began to talk about skeletons
IT,. A,o,, trade circular, issued by whoe-
=. i..ior +, surgical instruments and sup
Mics from his pocket The circular con-
,ai,e1 am annual review Of the surgical III
,,rn,euts and supplies market. faf' way
do,yp the neatly printed page appeared '"''
,,oracraph. which the doctor read;
aStolr4ops have ruled firm and acuve
...,,,,..lout the year. with prices unchanged
49, .eu able 90 supply the demand lor
en- common varictie> promptly but the
g ,,.ode. were scarce and orders Tor de
-. ,.,ud not always be filed al once
=, ,,i. r.oard the market is still Unchanged
-1,.l,.b ou,. broker in Paris has orders 70
~ everything offered al the usual rates.
The doctor read tine paragraph much as
-. ~, tae street eat ice cream out OF the
- Goblet, they huy Of Italian vendors
,hat /. Slowly and with evident relish when
,'~La1 finished il and folded the circular he
said: ,,.. ..o.,,o,s i'm.
MORT trade of the American people so interest
a., a. the trade in skeletons, although lIs
MAGNITUDE and importance are known 10 uuO
few Not that It's magnitude or Vaiue iilaNo
II interesting: il attracts attention soieiy I've
,o.,es the article is in itself fascinating But
,hore are features Of the trade that may not
escaue the eye Of the political economist roi
instance. this great nation oil "''V''V'" vi
neople is wholly dependent ON foreign coui
tr;.s for lis skeletons Not hut what phyS'
clan here and there may have specimen
which has been untimely snatched from the
country graveyard. bat the stock skeletons
q, the country are all imported, and that'
too simply because the pauper labor OF the
ola world is able 10 string bones together for
less money than an American "oo'ei 'oO'N
live and pay taxes on
ANATOMICAL KNOWLEDGE.
rrhe man who can put the homes Of the
bumau frame together must be an anatoinist'
he must know, for instance, where the collar
home is located and what It's functions are.
No anatomi,t. not even pauper anatomst
In the uoreue in Paris, would be so foolish as
o. rest the butt Of gun containing four
drains Of powder and an ounce ana quarter
of shot on his collar bone, and in that posi-
tion fire it. Collar bones were not made for
such use. Now, although possessed Of so
much more knowledge than some sportsmen,
the Paris nnatomist is willing TO work Tor
franc a dav. and the capitalist who employs
him is thus enabled 10 sell skeletons at such
a low rate that even new Pledged doctors III
America cannot compete.
"lncrelibe as 10 may seem, skeleton well
mounted and neatly packed in a white pine
box can be had fer the small sum Of $50. The
box can b. stood on end with the skeleton
banging from the top by a screw running
down through the skull II the box is covered
with red plush and lined with blue satin the
simple packing case becomes neat, attrac-
tive and economical anatomical closet OF
course. most physicians prefer a black wal
nut cabinet. with glass doors covered with
red curtain, but that Is "A matter OF taste,
not that | would recommend any one TO
purchase a $50 skeleton unless for temporary
use They are not over substantial they
cannot be polished up very nicely, and they
are apt to crumble You see, the $50 skele
tons are taken from the corpses of people well
advanced in life, like yourself, where the cal
careOus matter predomlnates IN the bones.
Besides some people have bones that are
naturally more brittle than other peoples
The anutomist in the Paris skeleton factory
is able 20 tell by the looks Of the subject just
how far be may 60 in whitening the bones
for mounting for the whitening process tends
e. nuke thc bones more brittle than they are
naturally. The skeleton of young person
whose bones ara of the right quality will
stand a great deal of work and a great deal
of work even at franc day, means an en-
HANGED price \ first class skeleton viii bring
$l2j. and at that figure il would be a delight
% the profession, having silver plated wire
articulatious, and everything i'm style Now
and then some man with an artistic taste in
such matters will have skeleton mounted
with solid silver Although not quite SO sub
santial or well able 10 stand the rough usage
20 which students subject such specimens, this
love Of the beautiful ought by all means to be
encouraged.
AT MODERATE PRICES.
"The ordinary demand for skeletons is like
the demand in most branches of trade Good,
substantial goods az moderate prices are what
are wanted Well whitened bones articuated
with polished steel and packed in good cases
at from $50 10 $50 are in such demand that
YOU couldn't find half a dozen-no, nor a
quarter dozen-in the city at any one time,
except shortly after the arrival Of French
line steamer, when a fresh importation might
Increase the stock temporarily Not less than
900 Of these skeletons are sold every year
right here in this city, where all the import
INK houses are located. j want 10 emphasize
the fact that the importing houses are located
here because Chicago house and a concern
IN Boston both advertise skeletons Of their
own importation, when the custom house re-
turns do not show any consignments of such
goods TO either house. This attempt 10 take
away part Of New Xork's prestige as a trade
center ought 10 be discouraged.
"ln addition to this staple trade in medium
grade skeletons there is an increasing demand
for de'Ormities Your skeleton with two
fractures of the collar bone, If perfectly